Just Do It!

My first martial arts lesson of the year just happened to be on the Gold Coast with my very good friend and one of my first Black Belts in Sikaran-Arnis (Phillipine Martial Arts) in the late ‘80’s.  What was I thinking at the time?  My head spinning, and back used as a shock absorber, from those insane theme park rides, jet boating and go-kart racing. 

How does one get motivated in the martial arts after a couple of weeks of R & R?  'Just do it', I thought (it works for Nike) and went straight to Vincent’s full time Kickboxing and MMA centre.  Vincent is a professional coach to some of the best kickboxers in the country and has a BJJ Black Belt under John Will.  I walked in and Vince greeted me with a big handshake and hug.  I spent a lot of time with Vince in the dojo and he talked about what I used to say and do in class when I was teaching him.   He would never forget the time when he walked into my school and I told him to put his gloves on and we sparred the whole lesson without warming up (must’ve been a ‘grasshopper thing’). 

In my books, three weeks without training is a lot!  I almost forgot to tie up my belt. When I started feeling the sweat down my forehead I thought I had temperature but then I realized this is what happens when you train.  Great feeling!

The guys at the gym were very nice to me, especially, after Vince's public welcoming speech.  I did a BJJ class with Andre, from Brazil, who is currently teaching some of Vince’s classes.  At the end of a tough roll, they went around the classroom asking for commentary.  To paraphrase John Will, I said the advantage, of Andre not yet being able to speak English well enough meant that I had to really watch and concentrate the techniques he was showing rather than relying on voice patterns which has a tendency to lax visual focus resulting in half attention span.  I am going to gag myself and walk in and teach one day.

Anyway, it was a difficult decision to train whilst on holidays.  However, it only took me five minutes to get back into it.  Just turn up to your first lesson and if you don't like the first five minutes you have my permission to go home.  I just finished my weight training and exercise bike.  Time to get ready to meet up with Steve Perceval for a tough workout tonight.  Victor is going to have his share of me this Saturday at one of his insane Kickboxing classes.  Anybody else wants to come along, they are more than welcome.  It's on this Saturday 11am at Ryde, then lunch and coffee at Rhodes Shopping Centre.
GA